1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refill cartridge for a wet electrophotographic printer, and more particularly, to a refill cartridge for a wet electrophotographic printer, having an improved internal structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a wet electrophotographic printer prints an intended image by developing a latent static image formed on a photosensitive medium, such as a photosensitive belt, with a developer liquid having a predetermined color. The printer then transfers the developed image onto paper.
In a conventional electrophotographic printer, in order to supply ink to a developing unit, a detachable ink cartridge is installed in a printer main body as a supply source. Thus, the location of the ink cartridge is limited to places that are easily accessible to a user. Accordingly, the path connecting the developing unit with the ink cartridge is long. Also, because functional parts such as a mixer, a dripless valve, an air hole and installation/detachment equipment are installed in the ink cartridge, replacing such an ink cartridge increases costs.
Considering such problems, the present applicant has suggested an ink supply apparatus for a wet electrophotographic printer in Korean Patent Application No. 98-6487. According to the ink supply apparatus there, an ink cartridge is fixed in a printer main body near a developing unit, and ink is provided to the fixed ink cartridge using a separate refill cartridge, without functional parts, thereby reducing costs.
However, the ink supply apparatus adopting the refill cartridge may increase warmup time because it takes time for the ink to be injected into the ink cartridge from the refill cartridge.